Hospital consultants insisted today their planned industrial action over insurance cover will go ahead next month unless their demands are met.
The Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) is locked in a two-year battle with the British-based Medical Defence Union over cover for medical malpractice claims.
They want the Government to give them assurances that no consultant will be left liable for the massive costs that could result from such claims.
The IHCA say 25 consultants working in Ireland are currently without cover since the MDU decided to not to renew their cover. One retired doctor, aged 79, is facing a malpractice suit arising from an operation 20 years ago and faces ruin in his retirement, the IHCA claimed.
They estimate that consultants could face bills of millions from malpractice suits.
The results of a ballot of the 1,550 IHCA members on industrial action if the Government did not support them were released yesterday. They showed 84 per cent were in favour.
The industrial action, set to begin on March 14th, would see all 1,500 IHCA members refusing to carry out any work other than emergency operations in hospitals.
The Tánaiste and Minister for Health, Ms Harney, today appealed with the IHCA not to go ahead with its planned action, saying patients will suffer.
The IHCA president, Dr Josh Keaveney, insisted today patients would not be at risk. He said 70 per cent of all hospital admissions were to Accident and Emergency, and these would not be affected. "I have no reason to believe anyone will die as a result of our action."
A letter sent by the Department of Health last night assuring that the State will cover consultants is now being considered by the IHCA's legal advisors. These advisors will attend a meeting of the National Council of the IHCA this weekend, at which a final decision on whether or not to proceed with strike action will be taken.
Ms Harney insisted in the Dáil today that the letter had been approved by Cabinet and was valid.
Dr Keaveney said his organisation was currently suing the MDU and urged the Government to join in helping fight this action. The IHCA was also considering seeking legal disclosure from the MDU on why consultants were being refused cover.
The IHCA will be holding meetings with the Irish Medical Organisation tomorrow to discuss co-operation during the industrial action. IMO members have already voted overwhelmingly in favour of strike action.
